Improvement in picture-frame hangers



S. DBBS 8|. W. M. BRAYTN.

Pic ture-Frame Hangers.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcEo SENECA DOBBS AND VILLIAM M.- BRAYTON, OF ROCHESTER, NEN/V YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PICTURE-FRAME HANGERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 150,230, dated April 28, 1874 application filed March 17, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SENECA DOBBS and WILLIAM M. BRAYTON, both of the city of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hangings for Picture- Frames, Sac.; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same.

This improvement relates to wall-fastenings for picture-frames, mirrors, Snc. The ordinary devices'in use for this purpose are screw-knobs and nails, which are screwed or driven into the Wall. The objection to these is, the difficulty in securing them permanently in place, an d the liability of injuring the plastering. In driving, they frequently rest only in the thin lathin g, or

.strike into cracks, which render them very insecure, and in many instances the plastering is broken and injured in the attempt to insert them. On brick walls they can only beinserted between the joints, and a careful search is requisite to find the proper place for insertion. To remedy these diiiiculties, our invention consists of a device which can be applied in the angle between the ceiling and wall, the same being self-attaching by means-of an expanding attachment, which spreads the arms. The invention further consists in combining with such a device a portable molding or shield, which covers the device from sight, and presents a pleasing appearance to the eye.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the attaching'device. Fig. 2 is a section of the upper corner of a room, showing the attachment in place. Fig. 3 is an elevation or face view of the coverin g-moldin g.

A represents the attachment, which is of right-angled form, having two arms, a a, which respectively t the ceiling and wall of a room. This attachment is formed from a single strip of hoop -iron, brass, or other material, and bent into proper form. At suitablepositions on each of the arms a a are sharp-pointed lugs b b, which stand outward, and are so arranged that when said arms are expanded from each other the lugs will strike into the pla-stering of the ceiling and wall, as shown in Fig. 2, and thus lock the device in the angle of the room in which it is situated. B B are two short screws attached, respectively, to the arms of theattachn'ient, near the ends, and O is a nut which connects them. The screws are, respectively, cut with right and left threads, so that as the nut is turned in one direction the arms 'a a will be expanded outward to force the lugs into the plastering, as before described7 and when turned in the other direction the arms will be contracted, thereby relieving the lugs, and allowing the device to be removed from place.

Instead of the screws and nut, any equivalent arrangement that will produce the same result may be employed.

D is a knob or hook attached to the .end of thelower arm, for the purpose of suspending the picture-frame or other article.

The arms a a, instead of being made in one continuous piece connected at the angle, might be made in two separate lengths independent of each other, but connected across the angle by the expanding device. The expansion of the latter would then set the points b b of said arms into the ceiling and wall, inthe manner before described. This, however, would not be soeffective as when made in a continuous length, and in a single piece.

This attachment is self-attachin gin the angle of the wall and ceiling, and can be applied in place without trouble. It is very strong and substantial, and cannot be easily torn from place, even when heavy weights are attached to it. Its great merit, however, consists in the facility with which it is attached in place, and obviating the use of screws or nails, which pass through the plastering and into the wood work, being strenger and more secure in its hold, and obviating any danger of fracture or injury to the plasterin g.

Gr is a molding, which is made of any ornamental form, and of such size as to iit over and cover the attachment above described, and thereby shield it from sight. It has a hook, f, on the back side, which hooks into an eye, g, of the nut C, or is attached in some other suitable manner. It might be attached by a light spring on the back, which would catch into teeth formed on the inside of the arms a a. This molding presents an ornamental appearance, and hides the attaching device, and also relieves the monotony of the angle of the ceiling and Wall.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The self-attaching hanger A, consisting of the right-angled arms a a, provided with the lugs b b, and made self-attaching by means of a suitable expanding device between the arms, as described.

2. The combination, with the right-angled hanger A, of the right and left screws B B and connecting-nut O, as and for the purpose speciied.

3. The combination, with the self-attaching; hanger A, of the connecting and covering molding or shield G, as and for the purpose spec1- fied.

In Witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SENECA DOBBS. W. M. BRAYTON.

Vitnesses R. F. OsGoon, FRED. A. HATCH. 

